i found a pre 63 valiant while browsing the local junk yard. its got a slant six so i was thinking theres a chance it might have a 3.23 rear in it. ill have to check closer on that. would there be any problems pulling this whole rearend out (drum to drum) and putting in my 73 swinger? what would i need to replace or recondition to get it in good shape? how hard will it be to pull out of the car?

If you pull and swap the whole axle and spring assembly it's just a matter a matter of putting a jack under the 'pumpkin', taking the tires off(if it has it...), pulling the brake line at the 'T' block (or if you're really fast, just cut the brake line/hose at the 'T' and remove the remains later...). Pull the driveline (undo the u-joint at the yoke...)

You then have 4 nuts/bolts on each spring/shackle hangar to 'undo'( take liquid wrench) once these are free the springs and axle assembly should drop to the ground when you let the jack down...I have long arms so I put a set of rims back on the assembly and wheel it like a wheelbarrow to the counter and say '$50?'

There are 'other issues' to deal with though....
The axle is narrower than the 'nice' 7 1/4 under your late A-body, so your current brakes may not bolt up so readily (or at all...)
If your car has the 5 on 4.5" (large bolt pattern) lugs, the pre-70's had 5 on 4 pattern so that may not work for you...
You can't swap axleshfts, etc...only the ring gear and pinion from this axle to yours if you had to go that route...
On pre-70 cars, you had the dreaded 'reverse threaded' lugs on the driver's side...not many places carry lugnuts that thread on when you spin them counter clockwise... (you'll have one axle shaft/ that will be this way...)

Make sure before pulling it, it is 3.23...these mostly show up under 3 speed manual cars (column shift or floor shift 3 speeds...) other ratios can be 2.94 or 2.76(auto)...

Hate to see you go through all that work just to find 1) the ratio wasn't what you wanted, 2) the dreaded 'weird' lug nut issue , 3) your rims won't fit due to bolt pattern....


if everything else is a go, and you can remember what kind of car you got it out of when ordering brake components, you should be OK...I think I'd find a better donor though or just get the gears and have a shop swap them in for $200....

-D.Idiot

my car is sbp but i forgot aout the reverse thread thing. the car is a 3 on the tree so thats why im curious about the rearend. what does 'nice' 7 1/4 mean? i can get the rear for 150 and thought it might be cheaper than buying a set of gears. so my brakes will not fit on this axle? any opinions on what might be easier or cheaper are welcome.

You are probably right about the old Valiant having a 3.23. The ring and pinion interchange between the late and early axles...and not a lot else. So grab the axle take it home and remove the ring and pinion using the factory service manual as a guide. Then take the new ring and pinion and your car to a gear shop and get them to install it properly. If they are good it will take little time and will be done right.

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

The 1973-1976 model has fatter axle tubes and easier to get drums and brake parts, (some stores scratch their heads at 1966-1972 brake parts like it's the plague...)...
Ther late one's are a bit beefier too (there are versions of it under late 80's Dakota's with the 4 banger...)

But like Sandy said, pull the gears and take them and your car in...the only 'warning' I'll give about used gear sets is for the swap price they are cheaper than buying a complete new set installed, the down side is the teeth may have enough wear to them that can 'growl' a bit depending on the 'wear pattern'...a good shop can set them up for the best most durable result, but they still will growl at certain times (at certain rpms, when you let off the 'go' pedal, heavy load in the trunk...)

It's a good find though...



-D.Idiot